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No. 610,537. Patented Sept. l3, I898. C. H. HISER & EJN. LUPFER.

METALLIC CASKET.

(Application filed .Mar. 5, 1891) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(N0 Model.)

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N0. 6l0,537. Patented Sept. l3, I898. C. H. HISER 8:. E. N. LUPFER.

METALLIC GASKET.

(Application filed Mar. 5, 1897) 2 Sheets-$heet 2.

(No Model.)

vw awtouk I/VH MQQQQo UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

. CHARLES H. HISER AND EDGAR N. LUPFER, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO,

ASSIGNORS TO THE SPRINGFIELD METALLIC CASKET COMPANY OF SAME PLACE.

METALLIC CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 610,537, dated September 13, 1898.

Application filed Match 5, 1897- To aZZ whom itmay concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. HISER and EDGAR N. LUPFER, citizens of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Caskets, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in metallic caskets; and the object of our invention is to provide a casket which may be made of either sheet or cast metal and be so constructed that the casket proper may be hermetically sealed, while at the same time the interior of the casket may be exposed to view by removing the outer lid or casing, either for its entire length or for a portion thereof, without breaking the seal of the casket proper.

A further object of our invention is to provide simple and efficient means for constructing the casket, so as to secure the proper degree of rigidity and strength and durability at the minimum cost.

We obtain these objects by the constructions shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of a casket embodying our invention with a portion of the lid removed and a part of the inner or sealing cover broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line x to in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail in section showing the construction of the upper portion of the casket and illustrating the methodof sealing the casket proper. Fig. at is a perspective view of the removable lid or cover, showing the detachable part thereof removed. Fig. 5 is a sectional View in detail, showing the arrangement of the inner sealing device and the outer removable lid and also illustrating a modification. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the removable lid or cover and its detachable part. Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrating the means for securing the interior lining or blocking of wood. I

Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in the several views.

In the said drawings, a represents the body Serial No. 626,109. (No model.)

proper of our improved casket, which may be formed either of sheet or cast metal, which may be cast in a single piece or of separate pieces soldered, riveted, bolted, or otherwise secured to form the main casket-body. The upper part of this casket-body is preferably enlarged slightly, as shown at a, and there is formed within this enlarged portion a shelf (1, This is preferably constructed of sheet metal bent around to the proper shape and having therein a fiat bar a of iron or steel or other suitable metal, the sheet-metal parts being soldered or otherwise secured to the body a. In Fig. 3 we have shown this shelf constructed of two parts a and a each of which is soldered or otherwise secured to the body a at the top and near'the bottom of the enlargement a, respectively, the part a being adapted to almost,if not quite, surround the fiat bar a while the part a is formed in the nature of an angle-bar and is soldered or otherwise secured to the part a In Fig. 5 we have shown this shelf constructed of a single piece of metal a, which is secured, as in the other case, at the top and near the bottom of the enlargement a, respectively, the metal being simply bent to form a pocket or slide, into which the bar a is inserted. Resting on this shelf and adapted to be secured thereto, so as to hermetically seal the body a of the casket, is a casket-top b, formed'around the bottom with a flange b"; which may be formed similar to the shelf a and adapted to rest on said shelf and within the enlarged portion a of the casket-body. The upper plate or panel of this casket-top b is'preferably formed of a single plate of glass 6 which extends the entire length, or substantially so, of the casket. Onthe outside of and above this casket-top b is a cover 0, which is adapted to rest on top of the casket proper, which, it will be understood, is extended-up beyond the shelf a and above'the flange b of the casket-top b. This cover cwill be preferably raised to correspond to the elevation of the top I), which may be raised more or less above the top of the sides of the casket proper, C6. The cover a is made of two parts, or, more properly speaking, has a detachable part c, which is preferably pro= vided with dowel-pins 0 adapted to fit in suitable openings 0 in the main portion of the cover, said detachable part being held at its opposite end by any suitable form of catch 0 such as is now in common use in burialcaskets.

When the casket-body is formed of thinmetal, We preferably line the same with wood, so as to secure greater rigidity of the parts. This we accomplish by soldering at the inner sides of the casket suitable fastening-screws a and placing thereon boards or blocks a having countersunk openings to receive the screws 0. and'nuts a which screw onto the same, so as to leave the inner part of the casket flush and even. These wooden portions a not only serve to strengthen and stiffen the casket-body, but also provide means for attaching the linings and draperies.

To provide for hermetically sealing thecasket-bod y, we employ on the shelf a gaskets a", of suitable packing material, preferably of rubber, and we also preferably form in said gasket, or, if two are used, between said gaskets, an opening a into which cement is placed before the top I) is inserted thereon. This, it will be understood, occurs when the corpse is placed in the casket and the same is to be hermetically sealed. The top I) is then secured upon the shelf or flange a by suitable fastening-screws a, which pass through the flange b of the casket-top and into the bar a of the shelf or flange. a thus firmly securing the parts together and her metically sealing the casket proper.

The outer or removable lid 0 maybe secured to the top of the sides of the casket a in any suitable manner, either by screws or by common spring-fastening devices now in common use, to permit the entire lid to be detached, if desired. WVhen so detached, it will be un- 1 derstood that the entire interior of the casket and the corpse therein are exposed to view, while at the same time the casket proper is hermetically sealed. If it is desired to expose only the upper portions of the corpse, 5

then the detachable part .of the cover only is removed.

It will be understood from the above description that we provide a casket which is i not only simple in its construction, but is capable of being made either of sheet or cast} metal and may be hermetically sealed with" the corpse therein, but at the same time permits the corpse to be exposed in its entirety l or a portion thereof only without unsealing the casket.

By having the body of the casket with the enlarged space at the top and placing the shelf or flange within said enlargement with the sides of the casket-body proper extending above said shelf or flange the joint between the top of the casket and the casketbody is placed below the sides of the casket, body proper and is concealed thereby, while i the tops of the sides of the casket are left entirely exposed and unobstructed to receive the removable or detachable cover.

A casket of this character is capable of being made in various styles of ornamentation. If made of sheet metal, the parts may be stamped or pressed in any desired shape and secured together by soldering or otherwise, or if cast any suitable ornamental pattern may be employed and the parts connected together in any well-known manner, so as to form a tight hermetically-closed casket.

It will be understood that the top of the casket immediately under the cover outside of the glass plate is, in effect, a frame, which will be extended above the sides of the body and the glass cemented or otherwise secured therein to form an air and water tight joint.

Having thus described our invention, we claim- 1. The combination in a metallic burialcasket having ornamental sides which extend outwardly at their tops, and a shelf or flange formed independent of said sides but lying on the inside and below the tops of the sides of said casket, a top for said casket hermetically sealed to said flange or shelf with the joint thus formed lying entirely below the top of the sides of said casket, an outer detachable cover extending over the casket-top and secured to the tops of the sides and lying entirely above the joint between the caskettop and the supporting-flange, substantially as specified.

2. The combination in a metallic casket having its sides formed of metal as described, of an inner shelf or flange of sheet metal bent to form a sheath or socket, an inclosed bar Within said sheath, the upper or supporting face of said shelf or flange lying entirely below the top of the sides of said casket, in comspecified.

3. The combination with the casket sides formed of metal as described, of an inner shelf or flange of sheet metal bent to form a sheath or socket, and an inclosed bar within said sheath or socket, in combination with a casket-top adapted to rest on said flange or shelf, fastening-screws extending through said top and screwed into said bar and a detachable cover connected to the tops of the i sides of said casket and extending over said casket-top, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 27th day of February, A. D. 1897.

CHARLES II. IIISER. EDGAR N. LUPFER.

Witnesses:

CHAS. I. WELoH,

G. M. GRIDLEY. 

